I have been bass fishing my whole life but I have never specifically targeted catfish in a lake or reservoir. I am pretty familiar with Gibbons from bass fishing, but the wife wants some fresh catfish for dinner this weekend. Could anyone point me in the right direction on what methods have been working? Drifting, anchor, fishing deep/shallow, etc. I have a bass boat that I'll be using. I plan on buying some frozen shad from the bait barn in Bryan but also going to throw a cast net for fresh bait if i can find some.

Also, am I right in assuming it is too early for Crappie? any pointers there is appreciated as well.



I'm more than happy to help anyone out with bass fishing info/tips for Gibbons also! I've had pretty decent success out there with largemouth

Can you get in there again?

Everything I've ever done out there as far as catfish go is from the discharge back. Specifically right at the discharge and just across from it.

I agree with mouth, I think access is closed.

One of the guys I hunt with catches hundreds of pounds of catfish every year. They bait trot lines and casting lines with Zote Soap. Super cheap he says.

Frozen shrimp. Try it.

If you want catfish, go to the brazos

If you can get to the lake simply drift shad a couple feet of the bottom over by the dam or really any place on that lake. It is full of catfish I used this technique many times there with lots of success. Use Carolina rig half once or 3/4 egg sinker.

OnlyForNow said:

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I agree with mouth, I think access is closed.

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When did you hear this? We went in late October after the plant implosion and didn't hear anything then.

I thought they closed it down years ago.

The quit running the power plant but you can still fish. I bass fish there all the time. You can camp there too now

Yes you can fish and camp there. They don't run the plant, but it is open for fishing/camping from Friday-Sunday. It's like $5 per person

Power plant was imploded in October

I don't have much to offer, but I worked out there as a student for my last 2 years of college, right after the first plant shut down and through the summer when they brought it back online and had access to the spillway and the other side of the causeway where the warm water discharge was and fish were so easy to catch it was almost not any fun. Without water circulating anymore I'd imagine they've made their way out into deeper water in the lake.
It was pretty sad to see the implosion, I probably learned more from working out there than I did in any classroom.

PS the gator signs aren't a joke, there's some monsters out there.

Give Capt Weldon Kirk a call. Fishtails Guide Service. He catfishes Gibbons, Somerville and Fayette. Great guy and shares advice. Lives in Bryan.